Having trees in your yard can offer a lot of shade for your home and grass and can offer beauty for your property, but trees can also be hazards in a yard. If you have trees in your yard, it is your responsibility to maintain them, and this includes having them removed if they pose threats to your home or property.
If you think that your home insurance will cover all types of tree problems and services, it's important to understand that this is not always the case. Here are several important things you should understand about trees, the damage they cause if they fall, and the way your home insurance works for these types of incidents.
Home Insurance Covers Damages When Trees Fall For Certain Reasons
Home insurance is something that you pay for every month to protect your home and the things in it. If a tree falls onto your home, you may instantly incur thousands of dollars of damage to your home, and you may think your home insurance will cover the costs for this. The good news is that most home insurance policies do cover the damages for fallen trees when they damage homes; however, there are some conditions the insurance companies look at before approving claims for fallen tree damage.
One of the main things they will look at is the reason the tree fell. If a storm swept through your neighborhood and caused this to happen, the insurance company may be dealing with a lot of similar claims at the time. In this situation, they may agree to pay your claim. The other factor they will look at is the condition of the tree. A strong, healthy tree will not usually fall unless there is major storm with extremely high winds. A weak, damaged, or dead tree will often fall from just minor winds coming through the area.
Home Insurance Does Not Cover Damages if the Trees Were Risks Before Falling
If a tree fell because it was damaged or dead, the insurance company is likely to deny your claim. As a homeowner, you have the obligation of protecting your home in any way you can. This means that if you have dead trees in your yard, it is your responsibility to have them removed. If you fail to do this and one falls, the insurance company will deny your claim based on negligence of the homeowner.
Insurance companies are not responsible for paying for damages to homes when the damage could have been prevented, and this is one of the most important factors insurance companies look at when they receive claims for damages from fallen trees.
The same principles hold true when your trees fall onto the property of your neighbors. If you could have prevented the damage from occurring, by performing the necessary maintenance on your trees, your insurance company may deny paying out the compensation for the damages. You would then be responsible to settle the matter with your neighbors on your own.
A good step you may want to take is hiring a tree company to perform an audit of your yard once a year. This will help you know what you can do to help your trees stay healthier and stronger, and it will also help you realize any potential risks you have with the trees in your yard.
Home insurance is a form of protection that you must have, but it has its limits. If you have some trees in your yard that appear risky to your home or cars, contact a tree company like Tree Lady Company The today. They can offer professional advice and suggestions for the trees in your yard.
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